was not wonderful. But Gerda learned,
and loved all that she heard. I had to turn the words of the
teacher into the homely Norse for her, and her questions were many
and eager.

Somewhere about midnight thereafter, Bertric woke with a start
which roused me, so that I sat up and asked what was amiss.

"I do not know," he answered; "but it lies on my mind that somewhat
has happened, or is to happen. Somewhat evil."

"The last talk of Heidrek has raised fears in your mind," I said.

Then across the stone-framed window came a flare of red light, and
we both sprang to our feet and went to the door. Dalfin stirred,
but did not wake. And when we were in the open all was still in the
moonlight round us, but on the mainland every hill inland to the
westward was tipped with the flame of beacon fires, newly lighted.

That which had waked Bertric, as one may suppose, with its first
flash, was set on the hill over the fishers' village, whence we
were to look for the signal to tell us to be ready for departure.
It had been just lighted, and blazed up fiercely as we stood
outside the cell. Five minutes later another fire answered it to
the eastward, and again beyond that a third, and fourth, one after
the other, as men saw the glare.

"Foes landing to the westward," said Bertric. "The fires run
thence. Maybe the ship we saw went down the coast and has
returned."

Now we woke Dalfin, who came out yawning, and looked.

"Danes, I suppose," he said carelessly. "That is the usual trouble;
or else Connaught men on the raid. Well, as we cannot get at them,
we need not trouble concerning them. And they cannot reach us."

"The fires sprang up quickly as if men watched by them tonight,"
said Bertric. "Some enemy was looked for."

"You have seen the like before then?" asked Dalfin.

"Not once or twice. And for the same reason--the Danes."

"Have you fought with them?"

"I was at my own place when we beat them off once."

So we stood and watched the fires until they twinkled as far as we
could see to the eastward. Westward the hill, as I have said, cut
off sight of both cliffs and open sea, but over it was the glow in
the sky of far-off beacons.

Fergus came out of the chapel, and I heard him give a little cry as
he saw the fires. Then he came to us, seeing us in the moonlight,
which was bright.

"No need to fear, my sons," he said in his still voice. "Many a
time I have seen those fires before, and doubtless shall see them